The latest ICC ODI rankings update has reignited one of cricket’s most compelling modern rivalries, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli locked in a thrilling battle for the No.1 spot among ODI batters. Following India’s recent series performances, the two stalwarts are separated by the finest of margins at the top of the batting charts, while India continue to dominate the team rankings to retain their position as the world’s No.1 ODI side .India’s star players have enjoyed a strong rise in the latest ICC rankings, with Virat Kohli edging closer to reclaiming the top spot among ODI batters and several others making notable gains across formats.
Virat Kohli has continued his charge towards becoming the world’s No.1 ODI batter again, climbing to second place in the updated ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings. The former India captain last held the top ranking in April 2021, before Pakistan’s Babar Azam replaced him, but his recent performances have narrowed that gap considerably.
Here Is Latest ODI Batting Rankings
Rohit Sharma at Top 1 (at the age of 38)
Virat Kohli at Top 2 (at the age of 37) pic.twitter.com/hxdAi98LEy
— (@Shebas_10dulkar) December 10, 2025
Player of the Series performance boosts Kohli
Kohli was outstanding during India’s three match ODI series against South Africa, finishing as Player of the Series after scoring a total of 302 runs. His efforts helped him jump two places in the rankings, placing him just behind current No.1 Rohit Sharma. Kohli is now only eight rating points adrift of the top position, boosted by an unbeaten 65 in the series decider at Visakhapatnam.
Rohit Sharma retains top spot
Rohit, meanwhile, retained his place at the summit despite scoring fewer runs than his teammate. The Former India captain accumulated 146 runs across the series and remains narrowly ahead in the race to be the leading ODI batter in the world.
All eyes on India vs New Zealand ODIs
India’s next ODI assignments come at home against New Zealand in a three match series starting January 11, with close attention set to be on the ongoing contest between Rohit and Kohli for the premier ranking.
Other India players gain in ODI rankings
Kohli was not the only Indian cricketer to benefit from the updated ODI rankings. KL Rahul made a sharp rise among batters, moving up two places to 12th overall. In the bowling charts, Kuldeep Yadav emerged as a major gainer, jumping three spots to third among ODI bowlers.
South Africa batters also move up
South Africa’s batters saw improvements despite losing the ODI series 2-1. Quinton de Kock climbed three places to 13th, Aiden Markram moved up four spots to 25th, and captain Temba Bavuma rose three positions to 37th.
Brevis breaks into T20I top 10
Movement was also seen in the T20I rankings following the opening match of the India–South Africa series. Young Proteas batter Dewald Brevis broke into the top 10 after climbing three places to eighth on the T20I batting list.
India bowlers rewarded in T20Is
India’s bowlers enjoyed a rankings boost in T20Is after their dominant 101 run win in Cuttack. Axar Patel improved two places to 13th, Arshdeep Singh jumped three spots to reach 20th, and Jasprit Bumrah made significant progress, climbing six places to 25th among T20I bowlers.
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